Did you know there are 7 different species of sea turtles around the globe?

Leatherback

Dermochelys coriacea

  • IUCN status - Vulnerable, with a population trend decreasing.

  • ESA status - Endangered

  • Florida status - Endangered

  • Largest and deepest diving of the sea turtles and are the most pelagic pf the species

  • Named for smooth, rubbery shell

  • Feeds on jellyfish - Leatherback sea turtles have esophageal papillae that line their throats, a unique adaptation allowing them a measure of protection against Cnidocytes (the stinging cells of the jellyfish tentacles).

  • Adults weigh 700-1500 (there have been records of a single male turtle weighing at 2000 pounds and measures 4 to up to 9 feet in length (lowest we have seen is around 550 as an adult nesting female)

  • Nests in Florida from March through July (Florida has seen early nesters in February)

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. (n.d.). https://www.iucnredlist.org/

Loggerhead

Caretta caretta

  • IUCN status - Vulnerable, with a population trend decreasing

  • ESA Status - Threatened

  • Florida status - Threatened

  • Most common sea turtle in Florida (our stretch of beach is the most densely nested beach for Loggerheads in the western hemisphere)

  • Named for its large, log-like, head

  • Feeds on crabs, mollusks, encrusting animals attached to reefs and rocks

  • Weighs 200 to 350 pounds and measures about 3 feet in length

  • Nests in Florida from April through September

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. (n.d.). https://www.iucnredlist.org/

Green

Chelonia mydas

  • IUCN status - Endangered, with a population trend decreasing.

  • ESA status - Threatened

  • Florida status - Threatened

  • Named for the greenish color of body fat

  • Feeds primarily on seagrass and seaweed

  • Adults females can weigh up to 300-350 pounds (adults to a max of 500 pounds) and are 3-4 feet in length

  • Nests in Florida from May through October

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. (n.d.). https://www.iucnredlist.org/

Hawksbill

Eretmochelys imbricata

  • IUCN status - Critically Endangered, with a population trend decreasing.

  • ESA status - Endangered

  • Florida status - Endangered

  • Named for its “beak” which has a distinctive narrow, sharp, and hooked shape similar to that of a hawk.

  • Feeds mostly on sponges and coral

  • Weighs 100 to 150 pounds and measures about 3 feet in length

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. (n.d.). https://www.iucnredlist.org/

Kemps Ridley

Lepidochelys kempii

  • IUCN status - Critically Endangered, with an unknown population trend.

  • ESA status - Endangered

  • Florida status - Endangered

  • Smallest of the sea turtles

  • Nesting is mainly restricted to the Gulf of Mexico

  • Nesting often occurs in large aggregations during the daylight

  • Mass nesting events referred to as “arribada”

  • Feeds on blue crabs, clams, mussels, fish and jellyfish

  • Adult weighs 85-100 pounds and measures 2 feet in length

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. (n.d.). https://www.iucnredlist.org/

Olive Ridley

Lepidochelys olivacea

  • IUCN status - Vulnerable, with a population trend decreasing.

  • ESA status - Threatened

  • Florida status - Threatened

  • Named for their pale green carapace

  • Feeds on crabs, mollusks, encrusting animals attached to reefs and rocks

  • Weighs 75 to 100 pounds and measures about 2 feet in length

  • Mass nesting events referred to as “arribada”

  • Nesting mostly occurs in Pacific Mexico & Costa Rica, and any other nesting is in the South Atlantic

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. (n.d.). https://www.iucnredlist.org/

Flatback

Natator depressus

  • IUCN status - Data Deficient, with unspecified population trends.

  • Has the smallest geographic range of the seven sea turtle species

  • This species lays an average of only 50 eggs per nest, larger hatchlings

  • Feeds on sea cucumbers, jellies, soft corals, shrimp, crabs, mollusks, fish, and seaweed

  • Adult weighs up to 200 pounds and measures 36 inches in length

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. (n.d.). https://www.iucnredlist.org/

Only 5 of the 7 species around the globe actually frequent the Florida Coastline.

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Only 3 of those 5 nest here regularly (the hawksbill and kemps ridley have been seen on occasion nesting in parts of Florida, but with far less numbers than the Loggerhead, Green & Leatherback).

Page Glossary:

ESA - Endangered Species Act (U.S.-based assessment program)

IUCN - International Union for Conservation of Nature (International based assessment program)

Endangered (EN) – a species is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range

Vulnerable (VU) – High risk of endangerment in the wild

Threatened (T) - a species is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future

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Sea Turtle Anatomy